In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Imam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Chapter: Avoiding the use of tricks. and everybody will get the reward according to his intention”. Narrated Umar Ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, that the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: ‘’The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he intended. So, whoever emigrates for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration will be for Allah and His Messenger, and whoever emigrates to take a worldly benefit or for a woman to marry, then his emigration will be for what he emigrated for”. [Al-Bukhari 6953]
Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: There is no place for trickery in Ibadaat [acts of worship] nor in Mu’aamalaat [i.e. mutual dealings]. Therefore, it is obligatory to approach matters through their appropriate paths [i.e. carrying out deeds without tricks or ulterior motives]. [2]
From time to time—since 1995—we have witnessed an old, worn-out trick resurface. A trick employed by those who wish to evade responsibility for their own wrongdoings. In the past, such behaviour took the form of crude cut-and-paste audios or the selective quoting of a scholar’s words, presented as if they were an ironclad defence. These individuals would claim, “Here is the clarification, here is the statement that addresses my case.” Yet, in truth, such claims were often nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Back then, the damage was limited. Their means of spreading ambiguities and generalities were few. The tools were weak: Paltalk, sluggish forums, and a painfully slow internet. What once took days, weeks, or even months to circulate—today spreads in mere moments. For now we live in the age of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and more, where a single click can confused thousands. So what do we find today? A man hears a general statement from a possessor of Shariah knowledge – whether written or recorded, and the speaker may only be offering an observation, a broad judgment, without addressing the intricate details of the incident in question; then comes a translator, who translates the words—sometimes aware of the context, sometimes not. Sometimes hoping only to spread benefit, other times unaware of the storm that lies beneath. And then—here enters the opportunist- a person whose condition is as clear as the midday sun and knows full well that the statement does not apply to his specific case, rather, he is indeed required to recant, correct, and take responsibility. But instead, he or his supporters cling desperately to the ambiguities of the statement. Or worse, they hide behind the tweet of another, sowing confusion in the minds of the naïve and the unsuspecting.
As for the translator, his position is one of three: Either he is simply unaware of who is twisting the statement, or he lacks the full details of the matter, or he knows, but is unable—or unwilling—to clarify due to matters beyond his control. As for the original owner of a statement, if he clarifies what he is referring to—its details, context, and those involved—then his words will not simply be accepted without reflection, regardless of his status or reputation. Rather, they will be considered carefully and thoughtfully. Of course, this should always be done with respect and dignified speech, especially when the one speaking is known to be a person of knowledge. If, however, someone were to transgress and continue upon that path, then while we would not respond in kind, we would address the matter with firmness and clarity by the Tawfiq of Allah, yet still in an uncompromising manner supported by tangible proofs. This is because – after many years of witnessing the harm caused by ambiguities, we must never allow them to take root, especially when what is required is a clear, public recantation of misconduct, or wrongdoing.
And as for the one who deliberately hides behind ambiguous words—refusing to clarify, or pretending that clarification is unnecessary—while knowing full well that such statements are open to misinterpretation and harmful outcomes, let us remind ourselves and them of a statement of Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him:
“It is obligated on you to give detail and make a distinction, because unrestricted and general (statements)without clarification has indeed corrupted this existence (the world), and misguided the intellects and views in every era”.
Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, commented on the above statement:
There has to be detail explanation. The one who is not proficient in giving detail should keep quiet, because benefit is not acquired from his speech. And every time error occurs, its cause is due to an absence of detail explanation regarding truth and falsehood. There has to be detail explanation and distinction and not to mix up [affairs]. Indeed, it may be that there is something of truth and falsehood in an opponent’s statement, so all of it is neither deemed to be false nor truth; rather there has to be a distinction between its truth and falsehood. All of it is neither rejected nor accepted; rather a distinction is made regarding the truth and what is correct and the falsehood and error in it. And if you are not proficient in giving detail, then you should not enter into this field. [2]
This is a matter that demands serious attention, for it is one of the greatest causes of confusion on social media today. Take note: we have not referenced the specific matter nor exposed its source in this article—for one clear reason. Those who wield these statements as a shield to evade accountability have not openly declared that such words apply to their situation. Instead, they play games. They retweet and repost as though in a childish game of hide and seek. But let it be known—and let there be no mistake—if they, whether now or in the future, attempt to weaponise such statements to address a specific incident in which they are required to answer for their behaviour, then we will not hesitate. We will bring forth their case, clarify the reality in detail, and demonstrate—clearly and unequivocally—how their situation differs entirely from the words they wish to exploit as a cloak of evasion.
And finally, as a principle that extends beyond this specific matter: this is not an era to be naïve. The statements of people on social media must never be taken at face value without scrutiny. The age of blind trust has long passed. Therefore, we must fortify ourselves, arm ourselves, and shield ourselves with the insights of the scholars whenever we encounter ambiguity. In this regard, let us remind ourselves—and each other—of the following insights.
Allah, The Exalted, says:
وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
And mix not truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know (the truth). [Al-Baqarah 42]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
He (Allah) prohibits mixing truth with falsehood and concealing (truth). Mixing truth with falsehood is to confound truth with falsehood until one of them is confused for the other, and from this (results) deception, fraudulent maneuver, and cheating whose underlying reality contradicts the outward appearance. Similarly, when the truth is cloaked in falsehood, the perpetrator manifests falsehood in the image of truth and utters a wording that carries two meanings—a correct meaning and a false one, thus the listener may mistakenly think that the perpetrator intended the correct meaning, while his actual intent is falsehood. This is Ijmaal Fil Lafdh [general, unrestricted wording (or speech)]. As for ambiguity in meaning, it can manifest in two ways; one of which is truth while the other is false; its correct intended aspect is misconstrued, thus its intended meaning becomes false. The basis of Bani Adam’s misguidance lies in general wordings and ambiguous meanings, particularly when they encounter confused minds; so how about when accompanied by vain desires and fanatism? Therefore, ask the One (Allah) Who keeps the hearts steadfast to keep your heart steadfast in the religion He has ordained, and not allow you to fall into this darkness. [3]
He, may Allah have mercy upon him, also said:
“If the speaker falls short in his clarification and addresses the listener with vague terms that may encompass various interpretations, and the listener remains uncertain of the intended meaning; if this arises from the speaker’s inability, the listener is given from the speaker’s inability rather than his intent. If the speaker possesses the ability and he does not do so while it is obligated to him to do so, he gives the listener from his evil intent”. [4]
Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, as follows:
“It is incumbent that the expression conveys the intended meaning through the appropriate terminology. Should the term be explicit or evident, the objective is achieved. However, if the term possesses dual interpretations—one valid and the other erroneous—the intended meaning must be clarified. In instances where the term suggests a flawed interpretation, it should only be employed with an explanation that mitigates any potential misunderstanding. Furthermore, if the term may mislead certain listeners into grasping an incorrect meaning, it should not be used if it is known to carry such implications, as the primary aim of communication is clarity and understanding. Conversely, if the term accurately reflects the intended meaning but some individuals remain unaware of its significance without any negligence on the speaker’s part, the responsibility lies with the listener, not the speaker”. [5]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: The basis of Banee Adam’s misguidance is as a result of general terms and ambiguous meanings [i.e. terms & meanings that can either be utilised for truth or falsehood when not explained in detail and distinguished], especially if they come in contact with a confused mind, then how about when desires and misguided enthusiasm is added to that? Therefore, ask the One Who keeps the hearts steadfast [i.e. Allah] to keep your heart firm upon His religion and not allow you to fall into this darkness. [6]
And Allah knows best
[1] An Excerpt from Al-Hulalul Ibriziyyah Min at-Ta’leeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Sahih Al-Bukhari’ 4/353. Footnote 1
[2] An Excerpt from At-Ta-leeqaat Al-Mukhtasar Alaa Al-Qaseedah an-Nooniyyah: 1/216.
[3] As-Sawaa’iq Al-Mursalah 3/927
[4] As-Sawaa’iq Al-Mussalah 2/503
[5] As-Sawaa’iq Al-Mussalah 2/503
[6] An Excerpt from ‘As-Sawaa’iq Al-Mursalah Alal Jahmiyyah Wal Mu’attilah 3/927